The year 1972 comes to a close; welcoming 1973

Do you think this 1969 CHS Junior Class Secretary, Sherry Byrd, knew she would be inducted into Epsilon Phi Eta, the top honor society at Campbell College in 1973? Also pictured is Craig Matthews whose future would include a marriage, family and a successful real estate company.

Denise Currin was a freshman at Coats High School in 1969 and was the first soprano and soloist for Campbell College Girls’ Ensemble in 1972. Wonder if she knew then that she would marry Craig Matthews?

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Friday, September 28, 2018 12:00 am

December of 1972 was quickly becoming history but not before several more events were covered in the final editions of the 1972 Daily Record.

The wife of a Coats police officer James K. Yearger was assaulted while her husband was on duty (Daily Record, Dec. 15, 1972).

The Senior Citizens were special guests of the Girl Scouts of Coats when they held their Christmas party at Coats Baptist Church. Christmas carols were sung. Betty Gregory played special music on her accordion and sang a song she had composed for the holiday season. Belle Williams also sang with the group.

Denise Currin of Coats, sociology major, was elected secretary-treasurer of the freshman class at Campbell College. At Campbell, she was first soprano and soloist for the Campbell College Girls’ Assemble (Daily Record, Dec. 18, 1972). When you hear these ladies’ names, do you automatically think of beautiful music?

I do know that the Coats Woman’s Club had met at the home of Mary Jo Mann. Mrs. Woodrow Langdon and Mrs. C.A. Stewart were co-hostesses for the Christmas meeting (Daily Record, Dec. 19, 1972). Don’t you imagine Mary Jo had her house beautifully decorated? She is remembered for loving Christmas decorations and beautiful flowers in the summer.

Mr. and Mrs. Earl Wayne Hinson were hoping to have their 13-month-old son home for Christmas. William Amos Hinson was born with a heart defect and later suffered brain damage and a ruptured eye that caused blindness in that eye. The elder Hinson was in the receiving department at Bonders Inc. of Dunn and worked many part-time jobs to help pay for his small son’s costly hospital bills. The couple had hoped that kind-hearted citizens of the area would help them bring their son home for Christmas (Daily Record, Dec. 19, 1972). (Do you wonder if the people of the Harnett area responded to their plea for assistance? Read on.)

Clyde Hinson was one of the most dedicated in helping raise money for the young boy. The carrier for The Daily Record helped collect over $800 of the $1,000 needed to have oxygen equipment, suction apparatus and other needed equipment for the tot to be at home (Daily Record, Dec. 22, 1972).

Does anyone know the rest of the story of William Hinson? I do know that Martha Louise Sorrell spoke vows to Tony Stewart McLamb in Benson (Daily Record, Dec. 22, 1972). (Is she the daughter of W.T. and Hazel Gunter Sorrell?)

The ASC members were picked for Grove 1 and 2 Townships. For Grove 1, it was Charles Ennis, J.W. Sorrell Jr., Graham Turlington, Marshall L. McNeill and Bernice Johnson who represented the farmers. In Grove 2, it was Rupert Parrish, Graydon Stewart, Daywood Langdon, Junious Denning and Dallas Jones who were voted into that position (Daily Record, Dec. 22 and 25, 1972).

Airman Gary M. Beasley, son of Mr. and Mrs. Willie C. Beasley of Route 1, Coats, was assigned to Ft. Fisher Air Force Training Station after completing Air Force Basic Training. During his six weeks at Air Training Command’s Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, he studied the Air Force mission, organization and customs and received special instruction in human relations. Gary was a 1972 graduate of Coats High School (Daily Record, Dec. 27, 1972).

The 60th wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. H.A. Turlington Sr. was held at their home on Christmas Eve. Approximately 60 relatives called during the evening (Daily Record, Dec. 28, 1972).

Was something horrible going on in Coats as 1972 coming to a close? The Coats Police Chief Clarence Moore sought help from the Highway Patrol to help curb a possible riot (Daily Record, Dec. 27, 1972).

It was now 1973 which was displayed on all calendars. It was the year in which the Watergate scandal grew and the U.S. left Vietnam when President Nixon withdrew the last 23,700 troops. Long gas lines, closed service stations and tales of renegade line busters became irritating facts of life for Americans.

Hot tubs, hang-gliding and yoga spread across the country from the west to the east. The movie “American Graffiti” gave an added spin to a growing revival of interest in early rock ’n’ roll. From the use of pronouns to the language of job application forms, written material was examined for treatment of gender and sexual bias. The Gatsby look was inspired by a movie remake of “The Great Gatsby.”

Numbers were again a source of interest by the American people. The federal budget deficit was $14.8 billion. President Nixon revealed that he had become a millionaire while in office but had paid less that a $1,000 in taxes in 1970 and 1971. The median price of a single-family home was $28,900. The 1973 Arab-Israeli War was the fourth in 25 years. It was discovered that nations in the Arab League had $10 billion in Western bank — $8.5 billion in the U.S. The Sears Tower was completed as the tallest building in the world — 1,454 feet (Dickson, Paul. “From Elvis to E-Mail.” Springfield, MA. Federal Press, 1999, pp 200-204).

“State Troopers aided the police in Coats on New Year’s Eve when a number of trouble makers started firing off a barrage of firecrackers and dynamite in and around Coats.” Arrests were anticipated by Coats Police Chief Clarence Moore (Daily Record, Jan. 2, 1973).

Dr. Wiggins announced that Sherry Byrd, daughter of the Rev. and Mrs. Ralph Byrd, had been inducted into Epsilon Phi Eta, the top honor society at Campbell College. The Rev. Condary Ellis, pastor of Hodges Chapel, had joined the staff at Johnson’s Stores in Dunn (Daily Record, Jan. 5, 1973).

Nearly 5 inches of snow brought the county to a standstill as businesses and activities felt the effects of the snow and ice accumulation (Daily Record, Jan. 9, 1973).

Nellie s. Ryals, 43, of Coats had died on Thursday. Her funeral was held at Full Gospel Church. The Rev. Willie Jones officiated and burial was in the Stone Cemetery. Her survivors were her husband, T.G. Ryals; her mother, Lula Stone of Benson; three daughters, Carolyn, Ann and Darlene; and two sons, Charles and Larry.

Kent Turlington was one of 22 seniors from 11 counties to be interviewed by the District III Morehead Committee (Daily Record, Jan. 10, 1973).

More snow and sleet were predicted for the area. This was the worst snow in 13 years. However, the system failed to materialize and no snow came (Daily Record, Jan. 10 and 11, 1973).

Snow did not come to eastern Harnett County but a blanket of sorrow did cover the Hubert Ennis family of Route 3, Dunn. The 58-year-old man’s services were at Rose Funeral Home. The Rev. Rufus Keene and the Rev. Joe Allen officiated. He was interred at the Devotional Gardens near Dunn. Surviving Mr. Ennis were his wife, Evelyn (Ennis) Ennis; one daughter, Pamela Jean; and eight sons, Donald Ray, Linwood, Hubert Jr., Hal, Phillip, Gary, Stanley and Perry. His sisters were Mrs. Hubert Creech, Mrs. Carroll Wood, Mrs. Maynard Coats and Mrs. Garland Coats. Preston, Howard and David Ennis were his brothers (Daily Record, Jan.11. 1973).

Carson Gregory received a plaque of appreciation from Commissioner Jim Graham for Gregory’s untiring efforts during his term as president of the N.C. Pork Producers (Daily Record, Jan. 13, 1973).

Mr. and Mrs. Johnnie Barnes of Route 2, Angier, had returned from a trip to Madrid, Spain, where they had visited their son, Maj. Bill Barnes and family. While there, they had met with Mr. Barnes’ sister, Edna Barnes Hoag, and her husband, Al Hoag, who were visiting their daughter, a doctor in the Air Force stationed at Celdran Moron, Spain (Daily Record, Jan. 12, 1973).

Mr. and Mrs. Alan Pope announced the birth of a daughter on Jan. 11 at Cape Fear Valley Hospital. The mother was the former Kathy Matthews, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Dallas Matthews. The paternal grandparents were Mr. and Mrs. Sherrill Pope of Dunn (Daily Record, Jan. 15, 1973).

In Coats, the McKnight’s Drug Store was entered and a number of drugs were stolen. The SBI was called to investigate.

Who remembers the beautiful Ogburn sisters from near Turlington Crossroads? Their parents, Hunter and Joyce Turlington Ogburn, announced the forthcoming marriage of one of their daughter, Gloria Dare Ogburn, to Ronald Leon Barbour, of Route 3, Benson (Daily Record, Jan. 18, 1973).

Lyndon Baines Johnson, 64, the 36th president of the U.S., whose battle against poverty and prejudice was marred by racial unrest at home and the Vietnam War abroad, died of a heart attack. He was stricken at his LBJ Ranch during a nap and was found on the floor by Secret Services agents (Daily Record, Jan. 23, 1973).

Coats Museum Notes

If you have not dropped by the Coats Museum to check out what is available in family genealogies and local history, drop by on Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. or on Sundays from 2 to 5 p.m. The volunteers enjoy giving tours of the two museums to share the story of Coats and surrounding areas. Visit our coatsmuseum.com website. You might be surprised what you can discover.